Medium to big bore Ruger No. 1's

forrestinmathews
Posts: 14
Joined: Tue Dec 17, 2019 10:12 pm

Medium to big bore Ruger No. 1's

Post by forrestinmathews »

Hello All,
This year has been an epiphany for me. I have long been a fan of the No.1 and looked at it from afar. I tend to "limp in from the cheap seats" as I call it on calibers new to me. Well this year I made what I felt was a big move into an older caliber that immediately had me kicking myself. I found an Encore in .375 H&H and found that I absolutely loved the caliber. Better than a .300WM and basically a bigger, badder .30-06 180 grain. Okay I liked the gun, but something more was needed.
Once upon a GB, I came upon a beautiful, used No. 1 in .375 H&H and got it for a song. It now wears a Leupold 2-7x with the red dot and accompanies me just about everywhere. I don't disrespect the gun, but the time where someone should worry over its looks is passed. It shoots a great little group with a simple .300 grain handload and wears a thicker replacement recoil pad. Another very good accessory is the Legendary Arms safety. It looks good and is very good feeling as well as not blocking the ejection. This not so little rifle is all business. However it is not the smallest, but even as an older well loved and traveled lady, she is among the prettiest.
Fast forward a little while and a few cyber miles and I joined another forum that keyed me in on an ammo sale. Ammunition in a caliber that I had only previously read about was discounted handsomely and on a whim and due to the utility of the caliber I bought a large amount. What caliber being discounted could possibly cause me to buy it sight unseen, round unfired you ask? Why .458 Lott of course, as it can fire both the longer Lott shells and the shorter Winchester Magnum shells. Sort of like a big boy's .22 Long Rifle, just slightly more powerful. I figured I could reload with cheaper lead .45-70 bullets for practice and smaller critter hunting, a feature not as readily available to the .375.
Now the search was on for a rifle to fire the ammunition in. There are bolt actions from every corner of the Earth chambered in this caliber, but I was interested in a No. 1. I was aware of two variations of the Lott: Blued with Walnut and Stainless with Laminate. By this point, I was thinking about the Blued with Walnut and resigning myself to a Stainless with Laminate. Oddly enough, neither would work out. The whole world seemed to descend on GB and pick off each and every Lott at prices far higher than I thought reasonable. So it seemed I was stuck with a pile of ammunition and no ignition source. I happened upon Lee Newton and his Classic Arms website and reached out to him looking for a rifle. He informed me that he had one, but it was an odd duck: Walnut and Stainless. I bought it on the spot.
A few days would pass and I'd receive the rifle which was the talk of the store when it arrived. The FFL honored my request not do open the box without me and I gently unwrapped a NIB .458 Lott like I was nine years old all over again. I went out and shot it a few days later and was impressed with the authority it conveyed. There is absolutely no doubt that a rifle has been fired in any of the surrounding area or your shoulder. While it is not oppressive all at once, it is a few shots at a time proposition. Unfortunately the open sights leave a lot to be desired. I quickly ran out of elevation and left the drift tool at home abruptly ending the session at five rounds. After a brief consultation with the good folks at Ruger I have some fixed sights coming and I intend to zero them at 25 or 30 yards to optimize trajectory of the 500 grain bullets out to about 150 yards.
Anyway, time for pictures.
IMG_20191221_104500.jpg
First Day Zeroing...
IMG_20191221_104515.jpg
A pair of working .375's...
IMG_20191221_104537.jpg
Plinking with a favorite handload...
IMG_20191221_110217.jpg
Lott with a Nosler 500 grain Solid...
Initial sight in attempt for .458 Lott...
Initial sight in attempt for .458 Lott...
zebra55
Posts: 348
Joined: Tue Feb 02, 2016 6:55 pm
Location: Michigan

Re: Medium to big bore Ruger No. 1's

Post by zebra55 »

nice guns, I too have several of the big bore no 1s..and yes they can leave a mark on your shoulder. One of my collector buddies says Ruger recoil pads are harder than woodpecker lips..
The ones I own bigger than 35 caliber include:
2 older 130 prefix guns in 375 H&H and 458 WM
3 Boddington guns in 375 Rug, 450/400 NE and 450 NE
6 in 45-70 govs of various configurations
Last edited by zebra55 on Sun Dec 22, 2019 9:43 am, edited 2 times in total.
67stingray
Posts: 824
Joined: Thu Jul 26, 2018 7:35 pm
Location: Iron City, TN

Re: Medium to big bore Ruger No. 1's

Post by 67stingray »

Very nice rifles, thanks for sharing. I also have a No.1 in 375 H&H and they do pack quite a punch kind of like what's been said about the Mossberg 835 "It will kill on both ends".
Bennett
Any day without learning is a day of backing up.
SteveRuger
Posts: 363
Joined: Tue May 27, 2014 2:34 pm
Location: Northern, Utah

Re: Medium to big bore Ruger No. 1's

Post by SteveRuger »

:D
I have quite a few 375HH caliber rifles in all different makes:
Remington Classic
Winchester Model 70 mfg. in 1951
Winchester Super Grade post 64
Ruger Magnum
Ruger No.1 RSI
Ruger No.1 B
Enjoy shooting the Ruger Magnum & the Winchester Super Grade because they are heavier guns. The No.1's are not to bad but I mite add I shoot 280 grain Barnes XTP bullets that really put down what ever they hit.
Been shooting 375HH for 30 + years. Great Caliber! IMHO.
Steve
GUN COLLECTORS.......Stewards of America's Firearms Heritage!
God Bless Our Troops, Especially Our Snipers!
forrestinmathews
Posts: 14
Joined: Tue Dec 17, 2019 10:12 pm

Re: Medium to big bore Ruger No. 1's

Post by forrestinmathews »

zebra55 wrote: Sat Dec 21, 2019 4:26 pm nice guns, I too have several of the big bore no 1s..and yes they can leave a mark on your shoulder. One of my collector buddies says Ruger recoil pads are harder than woodpecker lips..
The ones I own bigger than 35 caliber include:
2 older 130 prefix guns in 375 H&H and 458 WM
3 Boddington guns in 375 Rug, 450/400 NE and 450 NE
6 in 45-70 govs of various configurations
Thanks!
Can you tell me about the Boddington sights? Specifically the height of the front and rear for the .450? I am trying to put express sights on my .458.
zebra55
Posts: 348
Joined: Tue Feb 02, 2016 6:55 pm
Location: Michigan

Re: Medium to big bore Ruger No. 1's

Post by zebra55 »

sent you a PM
forrestinmathews
Posts: 14
Joined: Tue Dec 17, 2019 10:12 pm

Re: Medium to big bore Ruger No. 1's

Post by forrestinmathews »

zebra55 wrote: Tue Dec 31, 2019 7:16 pmsent you a PM
Thank you kindly. I have replied in kind. I had tried to send you one prior to posting, but it appears I am not able to initiate conversation, only to reply.
forrestinmathews
Posts: 14
Joined: Tue Dec 17, 2019 10:12 pm

Re: Medium to big bore Ruger No. 1's

Post by forrestinmathews »

SteveRuger wrote: Sat Dec 21, 2019 10:40 pm :D
I have quite a few 375HH caliber rifles in all different makes:
Remington Classic
Winchester Model 70 mfg. in 1951
Winchester Super Grade post 64
Ruger Magnum
Ruger No.1 RSI
Ruger No.1 B
Enjoy shooting the Ruger Magnum & the Winchester Super Grade because they are heavier guns. The No.1's are not to bad but I mite add I shoot 280 grain Barnes XTP bullets that really put down what ever they hit.
Been shooting 375HH for 30 + years. Great Caliber! IMHO.
I think you are very well equipped sir. I am enjoying my various models as well. It makes a man wish he had more arms. I woke up dreaming about a .416 Rigby and a .30-06 so the saga continues...
Coogs
Posts: 392
Joined: Fri Jul 04, 2014 8:07 am
Location: NW PA.

Re: Medium to big bore Ruger No. 1's

Post by Coogs »

Have owned many #1's in the past, still a few left around. 9.3 x 74R is one of my all time favorites.
forrestinmathews
Posts: 14
Joined: Tue Dec 17, 2019 10:12 pm

Re: Medium to big bore Ruger No. 1's

Post by forrestinmathews »

I got the sights sorted out. It's a ridiculously fun gun to shoot now.
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